Do cross-border mergers and acquisitions increase short-term market performance? The case of Chinese firms

Despite the new momentum in cross-border mergers and acquisitions (M&As) by emerging market firms, we have a limited understanding of the impact of these activities. Drawing on signalling theory and the institution-based view, this paper examines the extent of stock market reactions to the announcement of cross-border M&A deals, based on an event study of a sample of Chinese firms during the period 2000–2012. The findings indicate that the announcement of cross-border M&As results in a positive stock market reaction; this effect is more significant in the mainland Chinese stock markets (Shanghai and Shenzhen) than that in the Hong Kong market. The shareholders of Chinese firms that acquire a target firm in a host country with a low level of political risk gain higher cumulative abnormal returns than those firms targeting companies in countries with a high level of political risk. The shareholders of Chinese state-owned enterprises experience lower abnormal returns compared with those of Chinese privately owned firms when engaging in cross-border M&A deals.     

Similarities and differences among cross-border M&A and greenfield FDI determinants: Evidence from Asia and Oceania

Firms choose either cross-border M&A or greenfield foreign direct investment (FDI) when expanding their operations overseas. In this study, by focusing on Japanese firms pursuing FDI in emerging countries in Asia and Oceania, we provide empirical evidence of the similarities and differences in cross-border M&A and greenfield FDI determinants. We derive the following four main conclusions. First, an increase in host-country population size and decreases in per capita income and corporate tax rates generally attract both inward cross-border M&A and greenfield FDI to the host country. Second, however, a home-country firm tends to choose cross-border M&A rather than greenfield FDI when the host country sufficiently implements shareholder rights laws and the firm tends to choose greenfield FDI rather than cross-border M&A when the host country adequately enforces intellectual property rights laws. Third, a firm tends to choose greenfield FDI when the firm already has regional networks in the host country and choose cross-border M&A when the purpose of the firm's overseas operations is to establish sales distribution channels. Finally, a firm pursuing cross-border M&A experiences higher cumulative abnormal returns in its stock prices following the investment, while a firm pursuing greenfield FDI experiences increases in its stock prices immediately before the investment.     

Determinants of cross-border M&As in Latin America

This article analyzes the determinants of cross-border M&As in the Latin American region during the period 1998-2004. Using a unique dataset of 868 Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) events, the study focuses attention on the effect of macroeconomic and investor protection conditions in the countries where the companies reside over the likelihood of these companies participating in a cross-border M&A transaction. The study considers the effect of company-specific variables in the likelihood of going cross-border. Univariate analysis and logistic regressions strongly support the idea that better economic and business-friendly conditions in the countries where the target operates, increase the likelihood of cross-border merger. Results show that not only is the business environment in the target country important but also in the bidder country. Lower levels of property rights protection in the acquirer country negatively affect the likelihood of a cross-border deal. Finally, the likelihood of a cross-border merger increases when the target faces higher cost of funding than the acquirer's.     

Greenfield FDI,cross-border M&As,and government size

This study examines the effects of greenfield foreign direct investment (FDI) and cross-border mergers and acquisitions (M&As) on government size in host countries of FDI. Using panel data for up to 130 countries for the period from 2003 to 2011, the study specifically tests the compensation hypothesis, suggesting that by increasing economic insecurity, economic openness leads to larger government size. It is found that greenfield FDI increases labour market volatility and thereby economic insecurity while M&As are not significantly associated with labour market volatility. The main results of this study are that greenfield FDI has a robust positive effect on government size, while M&As have no statistically significant effect on government size in the total sample of developed and developing countries, as well as in the sub-samples of developed and developing countries.     

Market performance of options on the Chicago board options exchange

Unproven assertions about potential option returns have accompanied increased interest in option trading since formation of the CBOE. This paper presents an analysis of return distributions from buying and selling CBOE options. Generally, buying options resulted in returns that were negative and lower than returns from buying the underlying stocks. Average returns from writing covered options exceeded returns from buying both options and stocks. Commissions and taxes shifted location of return distributions for all three investments, particularly reducing returns from buying options.     

Is corporate governance important for regulated firms’ shareholders?: Evidence from Japanese mergers and acquisitions

This paper compares the reaction of bidders’ stock prices to acquisition announcements by regulated non-financial firms, banks, and unregulated companies in Japan. Results suggest that regulated non-financial firms do not experience a significant stock price response at merger and acquisition (M&A) announcements, although banks’ and unregulated firms’ M&A announcements are regarded favorably by the stock market. Furthermore, the effect of stock option usage and strict boards on the stock price response is weak for regulated non-financial bidders. The results provide additional evidence that regulation results in managerial decisions’ having less influence on shareholder wealth and thereby changes the firm's optimal governance structure. In contrast, the results provide no clear evidence that, for bank bidders, there is a significantly stronger or weaker relationship between governance and the stock price response to an M&A announcement than that of unregulated firms or regulated non-financial firms. The result does not support the view that regulatory monitoring weakens the effect of ordinary governance mechanisms.     

Gains from equity carve-outs and subsequent events

This study examines why the stock price of a parent company reacts positively to the announcement of a carve-out. The study also focuses on the gains associated with the combinations of carve-outs and each of four subsequent events: M&A activity, secondary offerings, spin-offs, and reacquisitions. The study finds that these secondary events are useful in evaluating the potential market reactions to carve-out announcements. By analyzing 201 carve-outs conducted by nonfinancial firms in the U.S., this study finds that the stock market reacts favorably toward the stock of a parent company when the parent-subsidiary relationship is preserved after a carve-out. However, this reaction changes when secondary events occur. To be precise, the market does not have a significantly positive reaction to the parent company's stock when the announcement concerns only M&A. These results indicate that the stock market expects secondary events when companies announce carve-outs and that it evaluates the combination of events upon the announcement of the carve-outs. In addition, this study finds that the market expects M&A as a secondary event.     

Off‐Market Buybacks in Australia: Evidence of Abnormal Trading around Key Dates

Off‐market share buybacks in Australia are often structured with the buyback price comprising a large dividend component (which may carry imputation tax credits) and a small capital component. This unique structure has the consequence that institutions on low tax rates stand to benefit most from selling shares into the buyback. In this article, we explore evidence of abnormal trading activities around key dates in the conduct of off‐market buybacks and investigate the drivers of these activities. We find evidence of abnormal trading activities around the initial announcement and the final announcement dates of the buyback. The significant differences in abnormal volumes between the buybacks with and without imputation tax credits highlight the importance of tax motivations in explaining abnormal trading activities in the shares of companies conducting off‐market buybacks, and are consistent with observed buying pressure around the announcement of the buyback.     

CEO turnover,political connections,and firm performance: Evidence from China

In our analysis of 5738 CEO turnover events among A-share listed companies in China over the period of 1993 to 2019, we find that CEO turnovers on average hurt companies' market performance with significant negative abnormal returns in the event window. We then group the companies into four types based on whether the outgoing and successor CEOs have political connections, and then calculate the abnormal returns in the event windows of CEO turnovers once announced. We find that companies generally enjoy positive abnormal returns if they replace politically non-connected CEOs with connected ones. Such a positive effect is more evident among non-state-owned enterprises (non-SOEs), companies with worse performance, and companies with higher financial constraints. However, abnormal returns derived from hiring politically connected successor CEOs turn to negative following China's massive anti-corruption campaign in 2012. Our findings provide direct estimations of the economic value of CEOs' political connections for A-share listed companies in China and reveal boundary conditions that moderate the influence of hiring politically connected CEOs.     

融资融券交易对市场价格发现的影响--基于中国创业板与中小板的研究

本文以2013年9月16日创业板和中小板新增的融资融券标的作为研究对象,检验融资融券对这两个市场价格发现的影响,得到了与现有针对主板融资融券标的研究截然不同的结论：（1）在融资事件日,非主板标的股票具有显著为正的异常收益率;在融券事件日,非主板标的股票具有显著为负的异常收益率;（2）融资融券的实施降低了创业板和中小板标的股票的定价效率,但增强了股价稳定性;（3）融资投资者和融券投资者的买入行为对定价效率产生负面影响,但融券投资者的卖出行为则会改善定价效率;此外,融资投资者的买入行为和融券投资者的卖出行为提高了股价稳定性。     

The role of information technology systems in the performance of mergers and acquisitions

Mergers and acquisitions (M&As) are an important tool for improving a firm's competitive positioning and performance. Despite M&As’ promise, however, they often fail to meet performance goals. Challenges often arise when managers try to integrate two companies’ information technology (IT) systems, and the difficulties encountered often create both short- and long-term performance problems for companies. To help address these challenges, we highlight important issues that managers involved in M&As must consider. We also present some best practices that managers should follow to improve the odds of successful IT integration.     

Antecedents of growth through mergers and acquisitions: Empirical results from Belgium

This paper empirically investigates the antecedents of growth through mergers and acquisitions (M&As) in a typical continental European country, Belgium. The article reports on a study using data on 484 private and listed bidders engaging in 990 M&As during 1997-2007, and matches this sample with companies that did not pursue any external growth. By analyzing firm characteristics, industry, and aggregate financial market variables, the study can also discern the motives that are important in the decision to acquire. The results show that neither the firm's cash position nor its cash-generating abilities influence its choice to grow externally. Yet, intangible assets affect the M&A decision positively, whereas ownership concentration and bank loans have a negative effect. In industries where incumbents are operating at a lower scale and in more highly concentrated industries, the odds of firms participating in M&As are larger. Industry deregulation, industry growth, and financial market conditions have no influence. These findings are largely comparable across listed and private firms. Yet, the data do reveal that the operating scale of industry incumbents and industry concentration matter only in horizontal and domestic takeover decisions.     

Why do Chinese firms tend to acquire strategic assets in international expansion?

More Chinese companies are using cross-border merger and acquisition (M&A) to access and source strategic assets so as to address their competitive disadvantage. However, there is lack of research on the rationale for such strategic-asset-seeking M&A. This paper intends to address this critical issue from an institutional perspective. Building on institutional theory, we propose a model of resource-driven motivation behind Chinese M&A. To shed light on the explanatory power of this institutional framework, we draw on a multiple-case study of three leading Chinese firms—TCL, BOE and Lenovo. By arguing that cross-border M&A from Chinese firms represents a means to acquire strategic assets is the logic of Chinese unique institutional environment, this study is of importance not only to stimulate possible theoretical extensions but also to draw implications to other emerging market firms.     

Robust Event Studies for Derogation from Suspension of Concentrations in Greece during the Period 1995–2008

This paper examines the possible effect of the derogation from suspension of concentrations by the Hellenic Competition Commission (HCC) on the stock performance of the requested companies. For this reason, we examined 16 companies listed in the Athens Stock Exchange (A.S.E) that are involved to 13 requested derogations from suspension during the period 1995–2008 by applying and assessing the results of three different event study methodologies (market model, mean adjusted return model and market adjusted return model). From the empirical findings, we conclude that the argument of the requested companies concerning the subsequent negative effect on their stock performance if the derogation from suspension by the HCC is delayed or not granted does not hold. On the contrary, the average abnormal and cumulative returns of the requested companies are positive and statistical significant. In addition, the results of the three event study methodologies are robust.     

Effect of R&D and Market Concentration on Merger Outcomes – An Event Study of US Horizontal Mergers

This study examines the pattern of abnormal returns for merging companies and rivals, to determine investor expectations regarding the impact of horizontal mergers challenged by the government. Prior studies have indicated that the government may have challenged efficiency-enhancing mergers, as evidenced by the pattern of abnormal returns to rivals during merger events. This study uses a two-stage regression approach to examine those patterns, using challenged mergers from 1997 to 2007, and finds evidence of potential price effects from approved mergers. The results also show the mergers to have differential effects depending on the level of R&D, market concentration, and product sales.     

Wealth Effects of Seasoned Equity Offerings: A Meta‐Analysis

We use meta‐analysis to review studies on announcement effects associated with seasoned equity offerings. Our sample includes 199 studies from 38 leading finance journals and Social Sciences Research Network working papers. The studies cover different countries, but the US is particularly well‐represented with 131 studies. We find a statistically significant mean cumulative abnormal return of −0.98%. Abnormal returns are more negative for equity issues by US companies and for non‐US rights issues and are less negative for private placements. In addition, wealth effects are more negative when the proceeds are used for debt reduction, when the SEO is issued shortly after IPO, and for issues by nondividend‐paying companies and industrial companies. We identify important avenues for future research.     

An examination of consumers’ cross-shopping behaviour

This study addresses antecedents of cross-shopping behaviour. Five theory-driven hypotheses are derived and tested. The results indicate that impulse buying tendency and perceived time pressure have a statistically significant negative effect on supermarket patronage. Product assortment and price consciousness have a statistically significant negative effect on speciality store patronage, while impulse buying tendency and convenience orientation have a statistically significant positive effect on speciality store patronage. Perceived time pressure has a statistically significant positive effect on meat store patronage. This effect is, however, not statistically significant on seafood store patronage. The findings have managerial implications for both supermarkets and speciality stores.     

Trade liberalization and industrial restructuring through mergers and acquisitions

This paper analyzes mergers and acquisitions (M&As) as a channel of industrial restructuring after trade liberalization. Using the Canada-United States Free Trade Agreement (CUSFTA) of 1989 as a source of exogenous variation in trade barriers, I show that trade liberalization increased domestic Canadian M&A activity (Canadian firms buying other Canadian firms) by over 70%. There is no robust link between tariff reductions and either domestic U.S. or cross-border M&As. I also provide evidence that domestic M&As transferred resources from less to more productive firms and that the magnitude of the overall transfer was quantitatively important.     

Trade liberalization and industrial restructuring through mergers and acquisitions

This paper analyzes mergers and acquisitions (M&As) as a channel of industrial restructuring after trade liberalization. Using the Canada–United States Free Trade Agreement (CUSFTA) of 1989 as a source of exogenous variation in trade barriers, I show that trade liberalization increased domestic Canadian M&A activity (Canadian firms buying other Canadian firms) by over 70%. There is no robust link between tariff reductions and either domestic U.S. or cross-border M&As. I also provide evidence that domestic M&As transferred resources from less to more productive firms and that the magnitude of the overall transfer was quantitatively important.     

Brand competitiveness antecedents: The interaction effects of marketing and R&D expenditure

This study aims to investigate the interaction effects of marketing and R&D expenditure on brand competitiveness based on performance indicators. While many studies have investigated the individual effects of marketing expenditure and R&D expenditure on a company's brand value, competitive advantage, and performance, there has been limited research on the interaction effect of these two indicators on brand competitiveness. Longitudinal data were collected from 145 companies over seven years, including 1015 observations. The companies were selected using the systematic removal method from 485 companies on the Tehran stock exchange market. We used a generalised method of moments (GMM) to analyse the data. Findings demonstrate that marketing, when considered independently, had a significant effect on brand competitiveness (as reflected in market share) in the long run, while R&D demonstrated a marginally significant effect. In addition, this study revealed that the interaction effect between marketing expenditure and R&D expenditure on brand competitiveness was marginally significant. These results demonstrate that companies need to invest in marketing activities to leverage the benefits of R&D in order to improve their brand competitiveness. As most companies often face budget constraints, maintaining investments in marketing and R&D is recommended to ensure sustained competitiveness in the long term.